NEW YORK, NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Khalilur Rahman, president of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, issued a warning Tuesday that the organization is lagging behind rapid developments in artificial intelligence. He emphasized that AI already plays a role in critical systems impacting daily life across the globe. Rahman advocated for safeguards grounded in science that protect public interests while fostering continued innovation. His comments marked the opening of the General Debate at United Nations headquarters in New York, linking effective AI regulation with broader efforts to enhance the organization’s responsiveness to global shifts.
Rahman stated that governments must stay at the forefront of international discussions on AI governance and regulation, but also noted that they lack the full expertise, technology, capital, and influence necessary to tackle the issue. Instead, he pointed out that businesses, researchers, innovators, and civil society already possess significant knowledge and technical resources. He called on the United Nations to actively involve those developing and deploying artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to expand policymaker expertise as AI becomes deeply embedded in economies and public infrastructure.
The UNGA president remarked that artificial intelligence is already integrated into water systems, electricity grids, health records, economies, and military operations. This level of integration sets AI apart from earlier global challenges linked to emerging technologies, he said. Rahman also issued a warning against an arms race for AI control, insisting that governments require prudent and scientifically backed guardrails. Simultaneously, he argued that international AI governance must leave room for innovation and acknowledge the potential of technology to advance human progress.
UN broadens global AI oversight framework
The United Nations has established new mechanisms for international AI discussions, including the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, created under Resolution 79/325. The Global Dialogue held its inaugural session in Geneva on July 6 and 7, 2026, providing a platform for governments and stakeholders to address key questions surrounding AI regulation. The 40-member scientific panel offers independent insights into AI opportunities, risks, and impacts to inform global policy debates.
Rahman also participated in multilateral AI governance discussions in New York on September 10, prior to the start of the General Debate. He highlighted the central issue of how governments and stakeholders will oversee technologies already transforming societies. On September 20, Rahman met with International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin to discuss cooperation between the UN General Assembly and the ITU on AI governance, as well as advanced AI challenges and the importance of industry engagement in ongoing international dialogues.
AI discussion integral to UN reform efforts
Rahman framed artificial intelligence as part of a broader push for a more open and inclusive United Nations, emphasizing that while member states and the UN Secretariat remain vital, they cannot fulfill every necessary role alone. His remarks called for increased collaboration with businesses, innovators, researchers, and civil society in relevant areas. These comments were made during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week in New York, with the 81st session’s General Debate running from September 22 to September 26, concluding on September 28.
He presented AI governance as a domain demanding quicker UN responses to technological changes, citing historical international efforts on nuclear non-proliferation, ozone protection, and human cloning as examples of the organization’s engagement with global issues. His speech emphasized the need for “prudent and reliable guardrails” supported by scientific evidence and broader expertise, stressing that governments should remain central to the process. This approach combines government leadership with technical input from institutions actively developing, studying, and utilizing artificial intelligence.